Project Status

Southeastern Kenya WaSH Program

The Water Project’s WaSH program in Southeast Kenya aims to restore water access for communities living in a semi-arid environment through the construction of sand dams, shallow hand dug wells, and 104,000 liter rainwater catchment systems. Explore projects in this region to learn about (how you can be involved in) innovative farming, education, hygiene and sanitation training, and reliable access to clean drinking water.

Rainwater Catchment

Rainwater is collected off strategic areas of a roof, enters a custom guttering system (which filters out debris) and leads to a storage tank. Tanks can vary in sizes and are determined by population and average rainfall patterns. Water can be stored for months, is easily treated in the tank, and is accessible through taps. These projects are implemented at schools with proper roof lines and gutter systems to make them successful.

Rehabilitation Project

Rehabilitation is not just fixing a pump - it’s total community re-engagement.

There’s only one thing we can think of that might be worse than not having safe water: having safe water, and then losing it because a project fell into disrepair.

Rehabilitation often proves to be a big challenge, as many wells have sit idle for years and there is typically little information about the specifics of the well. A borehole and dug well rehabilitation involves quite a bit of discovery. First, our teams work to discover as much as they can about the initial project. What materials were used? Was the borehole/hand-dug well properly constructed? Many of these questions can only be answered by diving in, and doing “the work” which makes up a rehabilitation.

Once our teams have found the problem, they find the solution. Then, they reconstruct the well and install a hand pump.

Engagement and training with communities takes into account rehabilitation was needed and alters the program to suit the needs of the community. After all - engaging with this community in the same way which led to the initial, failed project will not bring new results. Our teams work to understand the social and support reasons leading to initial failure, and make those areas a focus of our ongoing engagement with communities.

Local Leadership

Local leadership is a lasting investment

Sustainable water projects only occur through the presence of local leaders. The Water Project identifies, develops, supports, and partners with local organizations who share our vision of reliable and verifiable clean water. Together, we build water programs that include responsible community development, lasting local solutions and ongoing monitoring and resolution.

Community Engagement

Community engagement is at every step of a water project.

Our engagement is rooted in relationship and includes involving the community in implementation and ongoing support, setting expectations for water point management and ongoing costs, etc. All of this happens before a water project is installed.

We use a term called ABCD: “Asset Based Community Development”. This means the community gets a leading seat at the table. Before we seek to bring anything into the community, we first seek to understand and utilize the assets that already exist within the community.

Handwashing Stations

Handwashing with soap at critical times reduces diarrheal disease by more than 40%. All of our projects include hygiene and sanitation training, which (among many things) empowers communities to build their own handwashing stations. When we work at schools, we install permanent handwashing stations and work with the school to make sure they are constantly supplied with soap.

Hygiene and Sanitation Training

Community education and self-discovery about hygiene and sanitation concepts lead to improved health.

Improved health is always the goal. This is why all our projects include hygiene and sanitation training. We utilize many different methods for this training, depending on the community/institution, program and country. Training topics include disease transmission, personal hygiene and cleanliness, proper disposal of waste and proper water storage methods.

Monitoring and Resolution

Water isn’t a pump. Water is a service. And, it must be reliable.

The known benefits of water are ONLY true if water can be counted on, over time. We love celebrating when a project is complete and a community has access to clean, safe water. However, the ongoing service of water - making water reliable - is how we know our true impact.

The Water Project continues to monitor our water projects, and we provide continued support to make sure water service continues for communities.

Past water projects and the communities they serve are just as important to us as anything else we might be doing in the future.

Project Timeline FAQ

Project Status

We’re working hard to make sure your gifts result in a lasting water project for the community it serves. Our engagement with a community begins many months before construction and lasts years after construction. The timeline here is focused on the physical construction of the water project. There is also training and engagement work that has already started.

Water project construction in the developing world is hard work. A lot of things can and do cause delays - which are normal. We attempt to make our best judgment of when construction will be complete, but the circumstances surrounding actual "in the field" conditions are far from our control.

Weather, supply availability, government paperwork, and progress of community involvement are just a few of the variables that can delay (and sometimes speed up) a project's completion.

We will always tell you if anything changes. And, if you get a notice like this – it’s actually further proof your gifts are being carefully used towards a water project that lasts.

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Community Profile

Community Profile

Report Submitted by Titus Mbithi, Communications Officer

Titus has a passion for working with local communities to improve their lives through access to safe water. He enjoys the opportunity to take photographs that document the progress of projects and write stories about communities to showcase the changes attributed to a water project.

Titus has been a Communications Officer since 2016, with ASDF, The Water Project's trusted partner in our Southeastern Kenya WaSH Program.

Kitandi Primary School is in a remote, rural village with sparse vegetation and dusty hills. It takes two hours each way, so we need to plan well!

The school started in 1986, with a church sponsoring the construction of its first classrooms. They’ve steadily grown since then, boasting nine classrooms, a staffroom, latrines, kitchen, and a field for recess.

Students start arriving at 6:30am each morning to clean their classrooms. Regular classes begin after morning study hall, interrupted by short only a few short breaks and lunch. They must stay for games until they’re dismissed at 4pm.

Water

Everyone, not only the school, relies on a well in Kitandi Village. Community members, church members, and students are seen coming and going throughout the day. Farmers even bring their cattle to the well to get them water.

This well is solar-powered and is contingent on there being enough sunshine. The school also shared that there are times during the driest month that no water comes out, even with constant pumping.

School administration told us that the huge population relying on this one well forces students to the back of the line – and so much time is wasted that could have been spent in class.

The school had received two small plastic tanks to help them collect rainwater, but they’re no longer working.

“As the school community, we are making tireless efforts to make the safest place for learners in terms of hygiene, sanitation, and unlimited access to clean drinking water,” Headteacher Rhoda Kimuyu said.

“With a shared, inconvenient, salty water source, these dreams have not been realized and we are looking for a convenient fresh water source.”

Sanitation

Faced with a constant water shortage, the school has had to sacrifice the cleanliness of their facilities. Latrines are filthy and smelly, and some male students have discovered that if you take off your shirt before you use the latrine, you’ll be able to avoid carrying out that bad smell with you.

There are no handwashing stations for these students to clean up at after using the latrines or before eating lunch.

Here’s what we’re going to do about it:

Training

Students and staff will be trained on hygiene and sanitation. Those in attendance will form a school health club that will promote good hygiene and sanitation practices both at school and at home. They will learn all the steps of proper handwashing, how to treat water, and how to keep their environment clean. The school will also be taught how to best oversee and maintain their new rainwater catchment tank and handwashing stations.

Handwashing Stations

Three handwashing stations will be delivered at the project’s completion. These are 1,000-liter plastic tanks fitted with four taps. The health club and school management will be responsible for making sure tanks are filled with water and that a cleaning agent such as soap or ash is available.

Rainwater Catchment Tank

We will build a 104,000-liter rainwater catchment tank for this school. Its clean water will benefit the students, teachers, and supplementary staff. Parents will mobilize the materials needed for construction, such as sand and stone and also lend some strong arms to help with the actual construction.

As soon as the tank has time to cure, it can begin to collect rainwater for drinking, cooking, and cleaning! 104,000 liters of water will keep students and staff in class and focusing on learning.

We're just getting started, check back soon!

Project Photos

Project Type

Rainwater is collected off strategic areas of a roof, enters a custom guttering system (which filters out debris) and leads to a storage tank. Tanks can vary in sizes and are determined by population and average rainfall patterns. Water can be stored for months, is easily treated in the tank, and is accessible through taps. These projects are implemented at schools with proper roof lines and gutter systems to make them successful.